For every controversial headline that screams affected child-star though, there's the sense that Justin Bieber is ready to repent. Be it his public 'roasting' or his religious devotion to 'live like Jesus', the 21-year-old knows he's been a bit of a prat - and he wants to change that. So where does that leave his new album Purpose? Here's our track-by-track review.

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1. 'Mark My Words'

We're off. Skrillex and Diplo have been up to their old tricks and contorted Justin's voice into a hook (less annoying than it sounds). The singer recently played right into the gossip mongers' hands and admitted 'Mark My Words' is about his high-profile ex Selena Gomez. Does that mean Purpose is going to be his most honest album yet? Its opening track certainly promises as much.

2. 'I'll Show You'

"My life is a movie and everyone's watching," Justin whispers. It would be easy to brandish the tiny violins as he goes on to sigh about how "life's not easy". But there's something poignant about his pleas to restore a sense of humanity around him. Sure he could write the billionth pop song about how wonderful it is being young, rich and famous - but that's not the point of Purpose.

3. 'What Do You Mean?'

Ah, the self-professed men's anthem for not being able to figure out the opposite sex. Bloody women, eh? With all their emotions and mind-changing! Tssk. Actually, it's not as reductive as that (thank goodness). Scooping the title for best use of a metronome in 2015, 'What Do You Mean?' is basically the perfect pop track as well as a skewed love song for millennials.

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4. 'Sorry'

Justin's nailed the non-apology. Sure, there's the exasperated "I'm sorry!" refrain, but he'll only take the blame if you want him to. "Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?" (Subtext: "Because IDGAF anyway"). With its show-offy vocal distortions and tropical feel, 'Sorry' might not be a sincere attempt at forgiveness - but that's probably why it sounds so good.

5. 'Love Yourself'

Ed Sheeran, aka the man who spawned the soundtrack to many a wedding proposal, has helped parent a deliciously evil poison-pen ballad. It may be hidden under the deceptive title 'Love Yourself', but "love yourself" means "go f**k yourself" in this context. Don't be fooled by the acoustic guitar, Justin thinks you're pathetic and is probably laughing when you drunk dial him at 4 in the morning. Ouch.

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6. 'Company'

After a brief interlude to go Ed-Sheeran-gone-bad, we're back to the Purpose motherboard. 'Company' is basically what happens when Justin Bieber feels like a non-committal hook-up during a stop on his gruelling tour and writes a cool R&B serenade to convince you it's a good idea. "You ain't gotta be my lover for you to call me baby". Who could argue with that logic?

'No Pressure' dangerously toes the line between 'laid back jam' and being lacklustre. A lazy rap from Big Sean that inexplicably calls out Yoko Ono doesn't do much to help matters either. On the plus side we probably need a bit of time to digest the torrent of pop genius and Bieber scorn that's been hurled our way thus far. Someone please help us work out what "Don't nobody deserve myself" means though. Our grammar brains hurt.

8. 'No Sense'

Fluidly making our way into Track 8 and we feel like we're starting to tread water. Just as we're starting to file 'No Sense' under filler, Kanye West's favourite rapper Travis Scott pops up. And he merges with Kanye West's other favourite, autotune, for a rap to add some dimension to 'No Sense'. It's not a classic, but it's by no means a disaster either.

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9. 'The Feeling'

Newcomer Halsey has arrived to give the first female vocal of the record (we've made do with the Bieber falsetto until now - not a bad compromise). It's an interesting choice. Justin's done the whole Nicki Minaj collaboration thing before, and now he's reeling it in for something more low-key. It's certainly a more subtle point in the record, but it's not Bieber at his best. Is the next song about to amp it back up?

Uh oh. This is what we feared. The pianos have arrived. This is the part where we're meant to praise Justin's 'stripped back vocals'. For all our mocking, 'Life Is Worth Living' is actually a really lovely moment in Purpose. Without the EDM fanfare and the focus on convincing us he's a good guy at heart, 'Life Is Worth Living' feels like the most genuine song we've heard from the singer to date.

11. 'Where Are U Now'

Wring out your hankies, we're straight into 'Where Are U Now'. You know this one, it's the song that made it acceptable to say you're a fan of Justin Bieber's music without being flooded with shame. It feels like we're entering a second part of the record now - we've had the romance, the self-revelations and the flat out bangers. What could possibly be left to give?

12. 'Children'

A Euro-disco monster, that's what. It should be truly terrible. We're talking squeaky sped-up Justin Bieber as he cries with righteous indignation "What about the children?" over the top. But wait, come back! We don't know why. We don't know how. But it works. And not only does it 'work', it makes for one of the best moments on the album. Glowsticks out, everyone.

13. 'Purpose'

There's a lot of pressure on the title track of the album. If it's shit it can put a downer on things, and while 'Purpose' isn't a standalone song, it's necessary. The piano's back, and although some people will find Justin's spoken-word outro slightly squirm-inducing, it's an important part of the cycle of repentance.

The verdict:

Justin Bieber was never the Gandhi-like figure he perceives himself to have been, but the parasitic media circus surrounding the singer is something that's undeniable. With Purpose Justin treads the line between the 'woe-is-me' reformed pantomime villain and unabashed pop superstar like a pro, and creates his best record yet in the process.